Green Thinking Blog

While at home this evening, I perused a book called A Little Green Book of Environmental Quotes and Comments.  Here is what I found:

A quote by Arch Buchwald, an author, stated in 1970.  How did he know what would happen back then?    (p. 89)

And Man created the plastic bag and tin and aluminum can and the cellophane wrapper and the paper plate, and this was good because Man could then take his automobile and buy all his food in one place and He could save that which was good to eat in the refrigerator and throw away what had no further use.  And soon the earth was covered with plastic bags and aluminum cans and paper plates and disposable bottles and there was nowhere to sit down or walk, and Man shook his head and cried: “Look at this Godawful mess.”

I also found a great lesson for us all.  Joseph Wood Krutch, a writer, was quoted in Time (p 97):

Don’t blow it - good planets are hard to find.

And Jacques Barzun, a historian, gives us hope from The House of Intellect in 1959 (p 87):

If civilization has risen from the Stone Age, it can rise again from the Wastepaper Age.

I believe Jacques also means we can rise from the Oil Age, the High Consumption Age, the Wasteful Age, the Ungrateful Age, we just need to try.

Thanks for reading…that equals trying.

I subscribe to Simple Shoes email updates, and I recommend you do too.  Today I received an interesting food for thought - about fish.  According to the email, an article in the journal, Science, has researchers predicting that fish will be obsolete by 2048. 

If you are anything like Laurel & I, we LOVE our seafood.  If we had a choice we would eat seafood everyday, but apparently, the idea of that happening is being threatened by unsustainable fishing practices. 

The Blue Ocean Institute has listed a guide of what fish are the most abundant and recommended for eating by the Marine Stewardship Council. 

The guide lists that Alaskan Salmon, Walleye Pollack, Sablefish, and Western Rock Lobster are among those certified as the best environmental choice.  These species are abundant and their fishing methods have little impact on their habitat or the environment.

On the other hand, farmed Atlantic Salmon, Snappers, Atlantic Halibut, Grouper, and Chilean Sea Bass are listed as having a variety of problems.  These species are either overfished, have poor management, or their farming methods cause a serious environmental impact.

Visit the MSC website to find out which fisheries are certified with safe practices, where to buy, and what to cook.  They also list delicious recipes, check out this one for MSC certified Halibut by Frosta (mmm):

Halibut fillets with Japanese mountain pepper and mango on rhubarb chutney

Serves 4

Ingredients

So, next time you go to the fish market, or the seafood counter, or out to dinner, do your research.  It could be one of your last delicious meals that has fish if practices don’t improve-and QUICK!

Last night I was trying to perform some simple arithmatic to figure out the cost per person from a trip I was just on.  Simple is the word to look at - it may have been simple when I was in 5th grade, but not now!  In fact, I couldn’t even remember how to begin a long division problem let alone come up with a wrong answer.  This got me thinking…

We are all very aware that keeping our body healthy is a imporant for our well being, and in turn, the world.  What we put into our system, whether or not we exercise, where we buy our food, all affects the world in which we live…but what about our brains?!  That affects the world too!

WebMD says that physical exercise is good for your brain as well.  Exercise will release happy feelings, aka dopamine that will help your mood, alertness, and feelings of well-being. 

ProHealth recommends Neurobics, a form of working the brain that helps it rewire itself.  According to the article, to be a neurobic exercise, it must involve one or more senses in a novel way, engage your attention, and add an unexpected element to a routine activity. Here are some of the tips they give:

• Smell something different in the morning than your routine coffee.  Try vanilla or peppermint for a change.  I think I will smell my new Sage Citrus Soy candle…mmmm
• Use a different hand for your morning routine.  If you are right handed, brush your teeth, brush your hair, and eat breakfast with your left hand.  Lefties, do the opposite.
• Learn Braille to determine your floor on the elevator.

Challenge:  Try these exercises at home!

2nd Challenge (mostly for Kate): Relearn long division!  Check out FreeMathWorksheets.net to create your own challenge, or enhance your skills.

It seems to me that “Green Cuisine” is the newest trend to the diet world.  But it shouldn’t be just a trend.  I first heard the term while in the frozen foods section.   I purchased a delicious version of General Tso Shrimp-a complete kit-with a sign stating it was:  GREEN CUISINE.  So, turned it over, and took note of the company’s web address.

Contessa Premium Foods’ home page actually has a link called Green Initiatives.  To click it shows a company with their values in order - at least from what I can tell…This company boasts the first environmentally LEED-certified frozen-food manufacturing plant in the world!  What does this mean? It means that the food manufactured in this plant is completely carbon neutral & made no foot prints on our Mother Earth in its creation.  They practice aquaculture and are 100% turtle safe.  The company supports wildlife efforts, including sea-turtle conservation projects. (check out saving a turtle)  Not only that, the company uses recyclable materials & practices recycling in their operations.

I went a little further & Googled Green Cuisine only to find a plethora of links come up!

Imagine my surprise when I ran across an article by the Union of Concerned Scientists that featured my favorite restaurant in my home town - Food Dance Cafe in Kalamazoo, MI!  (Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo.)  Food Dance Cafe & other restaurants have begun to feature locally grown products year-round.  Its fresh & supports community. What could be greener?

The term also refers to the practice of growing your own Microgreens, or in simple terms, things like arugala, cress, snow peas, herbs, and edible flowers…

With a focus on health, look for more health-conscious ideas and information on your cuisine at Laurel on Health Food.

Ah & MMM, what a great term:  GREEN CUISINE.  If only Green Eggs & Ham could taste this good….

This last weekend took me to Ft. Lauderdale beach in sunny Florida. As I walked along the sandy shore I was stuck by a strange mound in the sand surrounded by construction tape.  Upon further observation, I discovered this mound was in fact an onshore incubator for sea turtles.  I said to myself, “Self, You have got to look into this further once you return home & get the scoop on these turtles.”  So. I did.

From what I have found out, in large part to Turtle Time, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to loggerhead sea turtles, is that from May until August every year these amazing creatures come ashore to lay their eggs.  The mama will dig a nest in the sand, usually about 18-22 inches deep and lay her eggs for a period of roughly two months.  When the little babies are born they are only 2 inches big and will eventually grow to be 250-400 pounds! 

So that is the easy part:  Get it on, lay some eggs, return to the sea.

The hard part comes when the babies hatch.  Sometimes they get confused with hotel lights, street lamps, car headlights, and instead of wandering off to sea and their destiny, they wander into the road and under your car tire. 

I saw signs all over the beach in Ft. Lauderdale warning tourists of the dimmed lights on streets and buildings to give the hatchlings every chance they have at surviving, and I truly thought it to be a great effort amongst the community to come together to help this endangered species. 

Tips from Turtle Time, Inc. about things you can do to help the turtles while you are on the beach:

• Do NOT shine lights on a nesting turtle! 
• Please don’t litter.  Plastic bags, balloons, soda can holders, etc. can be fatal if eaten by a turtle - or any animal for that matter.
• Close drapes or blinds after dark if your lights are visible to the beach, while this helps the turtles, this can help you too!  Create a little mood for yourself and a loved one, who knew turtles could be so romantic.

Another great resource:  Guided Turtle Walks.  While on vacation take in a little culture.  Many museums, aquariums, and community centers provide guided walks on the beach in hopes of witnessing this miracle of the sea turtle.  Ususally taking place between the hours of 9 pm - 1 am, but remember, do not bring your flashlights, and do not disturb the turtle - how would you like your business disturbed?

Man, I guess I am on a Pickens kick. 

This time though, the focus is on T. Boone Pickens, the oil tycoon turned renewable.  He has launched a nationwide campaign to promote alternative fuel sources to help America quit its addiction to foreign oil.  You may have seen his commercials aired on the television. 

He is currently in hot pursuit of wind energy and is in the midst of creating the world’s largest wind farm in Texas.  The farm near Sweetwater, Texas, will produce 4,000 megawatts of wind power, enough to double the United States’ wind energy output. 

Pickens Plan is to find enough renewable energy sources to bide time while we create better technologies for fuel sources.  If we better utilize our natural gas and create wind generation facilities, we will have the opportunity to replace 1/3 of foreign oil in ten years.

T. Boone plans to take this campaign to the new President of the United States and to make sure the voices are heard within the first 100 days of his presidency.  He is calling for your help to be heard, click here to read more.

Remember our previous post about Fort Pickens?  The mystery of the solar panels atop an abandoned building? Some of you thought those panels powered a meth lab, others an emergency shelter, and some of you guessed right (yes, you).  The mystery has been solved!  Thanks to a Roxanne, a representative from the Gulf Islands National Seashore.  Those panels, seen below, have been used to power fans, also seen below, to keep air filtering through the building after the affects of Hurrican Ivan.  Throughout the park, there are 20 fans or so all powered through sunlight.

Pretty awesome huh?!  Thanks for the knowledge Roxanne!

The Fourth of July took us to a little place called Pensacola Beach, a completely beautiful land that promoted healthy bike rides, some vitamin C to the skin (protected by UVB & UVA sunscreen), some entertainment, and an awesome fresh fish market. The short time we were there we were fortunate enough to partake in each of these activities while celebrating the birth of our country’s freedom.

Little did I expect, silly me, that I might take an adventure that was completely spontaneous, a downright accident actually, that would lead me to a mystery. This mystery I speak of is still unsolved, and if you should have any information, please please please contact us immediately!

Our last day in Pensacola Beach our host suggested we take a bike ride to visit Fort Pickens to gain some history on our vacation. We agreed to go, thinking it might take us all of an hour to tour and then get on the ride home. So, we ride and ride, what a beautiful ride! Sugar sand beaches, clear blue green seas, fresh air in our hair and faces, and we didn’t even recognize how long we had been riding until the Fort never seemed to come. We turned around and could no longer see civilization. To make a long story short, we took a 4 hour cruise, a dip in the Gulf, a walk through 2 miles of sand pushing our bikes where the road had been washed away, introduce ourselves to Tropical Storm Bertha (she was relatively friendly considering she only threw sand in our faces and refused to rain on us) and we came across this:

Please notice the four solar panels on the roof. This house is an old Campers’ Registration/Visitor Center for when the Fort was up and running regularly before Hurricane Ivan came over in 2004. The solar panels seem to be running a set of fans that are under the awning, but I couldn’t be too sure.

So, I’ve checked with the Gulf Islands National Seashore, I’ve checked with Pensacola’s Greatest, and Google to no avail. My curiosity has been piqued as to the history behind this house, those solar panels, and what future reconstruction could bring to Fort Pickens on the Gulf Beaches of Florida.

If you have any insight to this mystery, please please please contact us!

Until then…Happy Trails!

A week into summer, I am all the wiser for what activities can be done that won’t contribute to the destruction of the world, but may actually enhance it.

I have listed some activities below that may give you some exercise and are sure to give you enjoyment.  Please, we are encouraging you to try these at home!

1.  Bike ride!  Whether you have a destination like your favorite neighborhood hang-out,  are just roaming to check out the architechtural beauty of your neighbors’ homes, or trekking down a trail, a bike ride is an excellent activity.  You are working-out, you don’t know it, and you aren’t putting polluntants in the air by taking an afternoon drive to see the scenery.

Here is a picture of my pride & joy:

This gift has made me very aware of safety features that bikes come with and their importance.  Please notice, a pedal-powered generator on the back wheel illuminates the front headlight, so I am not riding in the dark.  I have ample space in my basket and on my back rack to carry bags, freeing extra weight from my back.  A built in tire pump on the rack is there for emergency situations of a flat tire. It’s most unique feature, as you may have guessed, is the lowered bar that allows to me ride in a skirt/dress without as much risk of it getting entangled in my chain…  Enough about that :)  But, please wear reflective clothing and follow street signs accordingly: Safety first.

2.  Kayak/Canoe. Pick up trash as you go.  Orlando has an excellent non-profit organization called ECO-Action that sponsors weekly canoe clean-ups.  They have recently completed their 500th clean up! Whoo Hoo! This promotes a pride in your lakes and waterways, camaraderie, and of course - a great arm work-out!  Do some research to see if one of these organizations is in your area, or create your own and tell us about it.

3.  Visit your local botanical garden.  Laurel and I are lucky we have one in our backyard.  This is a great date spot *wink *wink, and the first Friday of the month, they feature a movie under the stars.  Again, an inexpensive afternoon or evening that supports the preservation of b-e-a-utiful flowers, plants, and insects, and could get anyone to appreciate what we have in this world.

4. Volunteer.  Whether it be at a nursing home, an animal shelter, your neighbor’s garden - wherever!  Just do it.  You are making someone, something, anything feel better, and trust - it will come back to you 10x over.  To make this tip associate with the summer:  Bring that person some lemonade to enjoy while you play checkers on the porch.  Take that puppy to a dog park to enjoy the beautiful day too and make new friends.  Plant a tomato plant for that neighbor to promote sustainable living.

5. Take a Pickinic aka Picnic lunch.  Not just any picnic.  First, you must visit your local organic grocer/farmers’ market/co-op for the freshest, mostest bestest choices of cuisine that support your community. Check out some recipes at ChefMD or Epicurious to be conscious of what you putting into your bod.  Done.  Second, you must pick the location.  While your backyard is a perfectly acceptable choice, try to get a little more creative.  Maybe placing that lunch in your bike basket and taking it to #2,  #3, or #4.

Okay Happy Campers:

Summer is just around the corner & for those of us in the warmer climates - it is already here!  That can only mean one thing for those who love the outdoors…it is CAMPING TIME!  A group of Laurel & I’s friends got together to partake in a little R&R in the best gift you get ever get…the great outdoors.  It got me thinking, green thinking that is, that while I am enjoying the outdoors, some products I use to get me there could have actually harmed it in some way.  Check out the list below for some eco-friendly camping gear to enjoy the environment all the way around.

Essentials:

• Tent - Eureka! Camping gear features a tent that uses solar power.  The Solar Intent will provide electricity during your stay in the great outdoors by using the natural powers of the shining sun. 
• Sleeping Bag -The EcoPro line by Marmot features sleeping bags made from and filled with recycled materials.  These bags are a part of Marmot’s UpCycle products, the shell is made of recycled soda cans and the insulation is made of post-consumer waste.
• Clothes - Need something waterproof?  Check out the water-based waterproofing system of Nikwax
• Bug Spray - GreenYour.com had some excellent homemade remedies to keep those pesky bugs away, but still alive. Another idea: Remember to eat garlic like you will never kiss another soul again - this is a tride & true method to keeping flies & mosquitos away.  Another idea from the Technical Advisor with the American Mosquito Control Association sais to try a concentrated formula of oil of lemon eucalyptus, or purchase Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Spray (Real Simple July 2008 p. 54.) .  Yummy!

Reminders:

• Be sure to pack plenty of biodegradable dishes and utensils (check out Bioplast and our previous post Break it Down, Break it Down Now)  if you don’t bring reusables
• Set up a recycle area
• Use environmentally safe soap
• HAVE FUN!